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DAILYMAIL.COM HANDS ON WITH IPHONE X

Billed as the future of smartphones, the iPhone X (pronounced ten, we learned today) has a huge amount riding on it for Apple - and on first impressions, it delivers.

The fascinating thing about holding the X for the first time is that is feels incredibly familiar - but better.

It’s incredible solid, and the sizing is perfect - there’s none of the straining to reach parts of the screen you often get the 7 and 8 plus.

I will admit to struggling with the lack of a home button at first - it takes a little readjustment to swipe up rather than pressing home. But after 60 seconds, it was second nature, and actually seems far more intuitive.

While we were unable to use FaceID in action, in the demos with Apple employees we saw, it worked perfectly.

The real key to the iPhone X is the screen - it really is all screen. It’s astounding - incredibly bright and vivid, and sharp. Apple’s calling this a 'Super Retina Display' with 1125 x 2436 pixels of resolution, making it the highest-density screen on any iPhone - and it really is noticeable.

However, the notch with the sensors at the top of the screen is a little annoying at first - although you soon learn to forget it’s there.

Overall, the iPhone X is exactly what Apple promised - the future of smartphones. The biggest issue is that we have to wait until November to get one.

5/5

Mark Prigg

The phone features a glass front and back, with a band around the edge made from surgical grade stainless steel, as well as an edgeless display.

The device will be available in space grey and silver.

One of the biggest changes is the lack of home button, which was one of the most widely-discussed rumors in the months leading up to the launch.

To wake the phone in its absence, users will now be able to raise the device or tap the screen.

The device - which is is dust and waterproof at a microscopic level - will be available in space grey and silver. It features a glass front and back, with a band around the edge made from surgical grade stainless steel, as well as an edgeless display

The device - called 'the biggest leap forward since the original iPhone' - boasts more advanced features than the other iPhones announced today and a new design. 'It is all screen, it is beautiful to look at, incredible to hold,' Phil Schiller, Apple SVP of worldwide marketing, said

To reach the home screen, users now swipe up from the bottom of the screen.

Schiller said: 'We also use the home button for Siri, but how do you do that now? You can now press the side button, which has been made larger, and speak to Siri.'

The new iPhone X (center), pictured among the iPhone 8 (right) and iPhone 8 Plus (left)

The back of the iPhone X (center), pictured among the iPhone 8 (right) and iPhone 8 Plus (left)

HOW TO GET THE IPHONE X

Pre-orders for the iPhone X open October 27.

The devices will ship on November 3.

The price will be $999 (£999) for the 64GB version and $1,149 (£1,149) for the 256GB version.

The iPhone X also has an all new OLED display called the 'super retina display' that, on the diagonal, is 5.8 inches.

It is dust and waterproof at a microscopic level and has over two million pixels - the highest resolution and pixel density ever seen in an iPhone.

Schiller said: 'It's the point of this technology that matters - it's easier to use, and more intuitive.'

To unlock the phone, users can use facial recognition, which Apple calls Face ID.

To unlock the phone, users can use facial recognition, which Apple calls Face ID. It will 'learn' your face, so every time you glance at the iPhone, it detects your face - even in the dark

Even if you dye your hair, put on a hat, wear glasses, or change your appearance in other drastic ways, the device will still recognize your face. Apple even worked with Hollywood filmmakers to be sure it can't be fooled by photographs or masks

Schiller said: 'Nothing has ever been so simple. This is the future of how we'll unlock our phones.

The Face ID will 'learn' your face, so every time you glance at the iPhone, it detects your face - even in the dark.

Even if you dye your hair, put on a hat, wear glasses, or change your appearance in other drastic ways, the device will still recognize your face.

It uses a new TrueDepth camera system that includes an infrared camera and works by projecting infrared dots out onto your face, which feeds information back into an AI computer to create a model of the face to check it time.

Schiller said: 'This happens in real time, and invisibly.'

The built in chip that controls Face ID is built with a neural engine, allowing it to execute 600 billion operations per second.

Another new feature in the iPhone X is animoji - 3D animated emoji that you can control with your face. The animoji work by tracking more than 50 facial movements and replicating these in your choice of dozens of animal emoji

'If you were wondering what humanity would do when given access to the most advanced facial recognition technology, here it is,' Craig Federighi said before showing off a talking poop

While you might think that Face ID could be tricked by a photo, Schiller reassured that this wasn't the case.

He said: 'We worked to make sure it can't be fooled by photographs, and worked with Hollywood teams to make sure masks don't even work.'

Face ID will also work with Apple Pay, as well as third party apps.

Another new feature in the iPhone X is animoji - 3D animated emoji that you can control with your face.

The animoji work by tracking more than 50 facial movements and replicating these in your choice of dozens of animal emoji.

Unfortunately, when Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering, came on stage to demonstrate the Face ID, it didn't work on first attempt, and he was forced to revert to a backup phone.

It will also have wireless charging built in and have an improved battery life - the iPhone X will hold a last two hours longer than the iPhone 7. Schiller said: 'We think we have an idea of how to make charging a better experience'

He then revealed the new AirPower Charging mat that when released next year, will be able to charge an iPhone, Apple Watch and Airpods simultaneously

But when he showed the animojis in action, he joked: 'If you were wondering what humanity would do when given access to the most advanced facial recognition technology, here it is,' before showing off a talking poop.

The front camera is a breakthrough for selfies and can take photos in Portrait Mode with Portrait Lighting, which can alter lighting in an image by using AI to change lighting over the face.

These aren't filters, but rather the phone is performing real-time analysis of light on the subject's face.

Schiller said: 'People will be blown away by the selfies you can take with the iPhone X.'

Like the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, the premium X model also boasts the A11 Bionic chip.

The 64-bit chip has two high performance cores that are 25 percent faster than the A10 chip in the iPhone 7.

The notch at the top features several sensors and a front camera is a breakthrough for selfies. It can take photos in Portrait Mode with Portrait Lighting, which can alter lighting in an image by using AI to change lighting over the face.

And while the A10 only had two high-efficiency cores, the new chip has four, and they're 70 percent faster.

The GPU - which is used for machine learning tasks - is also 30 percent faster.

It will also have wireless charging built in and have an improved battery life - the iPhone X will hold a last two hours longer than the iPhone 7.

Schiller said: 'We think we have an idea of how to make charging a better experience.'

He then revealed the new AirPower Charging mat that when released next year, will be able to charge an iPhone, Apple Watch and Airpods simultaneously.

Like the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, the premium X model also boasts the A11 Bionic chip. The 64-bit chip has two high performance cores that are 25 percent faster than the A10 chip in the iPhone 7

And while the A10 only had two high-efficiency cores, the new chip has four, and they're 70 percent faster. The GPU - which is used for machine learning tasks - is also 30 percent faster

There will be a 64GB version and a 256GB version of the iPhone X available, with a starting price of $999 (£999 in the UK) and going up to $1,149 (£1,149 in the UK).

While it may seem a shock to many, experts say the $1,000 price point won’t be an issue.

Carolina Milanesi, an analyst with Creative Strategies, told Dailymail.com: ‘It’s a great product, and I think the price is entirely justified.'

One of the biggest changes is the lack of home button, which was one of the most widely-discussed rumors in the months leading up to the launch

‘I think the $1,000 figure is a red herring - nobody will pay that, and if they do, they can afford it.’

Milanesi said the launch now meant Apple has an unrivaled range.

‘I really like the whole portfolio now - there’s such a range of options, nobody else has that.'

‘Whether I buy a 6 or the X, it’s still the iPhone and will be largely the same experience.’

The new device will be available in space grey and silver, and ships on November 3.